ISLAMABAD: In order to enhance economic cooperation and bilateral relations with Central Asian states, the federal government is considering the establishment of a Central Asian university in Islamabad.

According to documents available with Dawn, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has started working on a plan to set up the `Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation University` in the federal capital.

`We have decided to hold the first consultative meeting of educationists, government officers and diplomats next weel< to discuss the mission and vision of the university besides chall(ing out parameters for the project,` said Ayesha Ikram, the HEC spokesperson.

She said Minister for Planning and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal recently sent a letter to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for the allotment of 100 acres for the establishment of the university.

`The meeting was scheduled to be held on Tuesday but due to the unavailability of the minister, who is abroad, we had to postpone it for a week,` she said.

`The university will further strengthen Pakistan`s relations with the Central Asian states by creating opportunities for students and faculty exchange, collaborative research amongst the countries and extending a common and integrated platform for higher education and research ofinternational quality,` read the documents prepared by the HEC.

Itaddedthattheproposed university would also promote an understanding ofthe diverse cultures of the region besides creating possibilities for cooperation in business and trade.

A senior official of the HEC requesting not be named told Dawn that the federal government wanted to set up the university on the pattern of the South Asian University (SAU), New Delhi, which was established in 2010 by the eightmember South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc).

The official said currently 20 Pakistani students were pursuing education at the SAU.

The Saarc countries es tablished the university after pooling in their resources.

He said the federal government would also request the Central Asian countries to pool in their resources for the university.

`The Central Asian countries have the expertise in oil and gas field, space technology, nuclear engineering, mining and minerals etc., while we have the expertise in agriculture.

The university will play an important role in the exchange of expertise and ideas.

He said Pakistan would also involve China and Turl(ey in the project.

Tall(ing about the budget for the establishment of the university, the official said the federal government was ready to allocate Rs5 billion for the project.

In the fiscal year 2015-16, the government has allocated an initial amount of Rs400 million for the project under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

When the federal budget was being prepared, the project had not been approved, he said, adding now the government was serious to go ahead with the plan.